Adopting Stray Dogs Has Become an Olympic Trend

Who needs a medal when you can bring home a puppy?

Sochi may have its share of problems, but while Olympians probably can't do anything constructive with shared bathrooms and falling light fixtures, one of the city's largest issues has been transformed into an adorable opportunity for visiting athletes to pay it forward. Bringing home stray dogs is quickly becoming the awesome fad of the Winter Games.

Because the cuteness can hardly be put into words, we'll let these tweets and Instagrams do some talking before we let you in on the details:

U.S. skier Gus Kenworthy started a trend when he tweeted his plans to bring home five stray puppies along with his slopestyle silver medal. And when he kept us all in the loop with picture after adorable picture of the new members of his family, the Internet erupted in approval, and the #SochiStrays hashtag was born.

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Kenworthy's adoption plans even put a cramp in his travel itinerary, as he is scheduled to be in New York this week for a media tour, and the dogs require veterinary care and immunizations before leaving Sochi. But he reassuringly updated the world this morning:

Fying to NYC right now for a week long media tour! Dogs are all at vet in Sochi & will be flown back to me once they're ready & cleared.

Usually the goal is to bring home medals as Olympic souvenirs, but other athletes have followed Kenworthy's lead and are taking home more strays. Skier Lindsey Jacobellis has Instagrammed her new furry baby, and two U.S. hockey players are also bringing home puppies. Three is a trend, and this is basically the best one ever.

Remember that this isn't just reserved for Olympians — get in the spirit by adopting one of the many, many animals that need homes in the U.S., too.